Aglaonema plant named ‘Lilliput’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aglaonema  plant named ‘Lilliput’, characterized by its compact and outwardly arching plant habit; freely clumping habit; relatively short internodes; dense and bushy growth habit; and narrowly lanceolate leaves with dark green and silver-colored markings and dark green-colored margins.

Botanical designation: Aglaonema hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Lilliput’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema plant, botanically known as Aglaonema hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lilliput’.

The new Aglaonema is the product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India. The objective of the breeding program is to create new full and compact Aglaonema cultivars with good plant vigor, interesting and unique leaf forms and coloration, resistance to pathogens and pests, and tolerance to low temperatures.

The new Aglaonema plant is the product of a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventors on Feb. 21, 1995 of Aglaonema commutatum var. picturatum ‘Silver Ribbons’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,985, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed selection of Aglaonemaphilippinense var. stenophyllum, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aglaonema plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors in January, 1997 as a single plant from within the resultant progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aglaonema plant by cuttings and divisions in a controlled environment in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India since April, 1997 has shown that the unique features of this new Aglaonema are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Aglaonema have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Lilliput’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Lilliput’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema:

-   -   1. Compact and outwardly arching plant habit.     -   2. Freely clumping habit.     -   3. Relatively short internodes; dense and full growth habit.     -   4. Narrowly lanceolate leaves with dark green and silver-colored         markings and dark green-colored margins.

Plants of the new Aglaonema differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Silver Ribbons’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are smaller and more compact than         plants of ‘Silver Ribbons’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are more narrow than         leaves of plants of ‘Silver Ribbons’.     -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema have shorter petioles than plants         of ‘Silver Ribbons’.     -   4. Plants of the new Aglaonema and ‘Silver Ribbons’ differ in         leaf coloration.

Plants of the new Aglaonema differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are smaller and more compact than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Aglaonema are more freely clumping than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema and the male parent selection         differ in leaf coloration.

Plants of the new Aglaonema can be compared to plants of the Aglaonema hybrida ‘Black Lance’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,280. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of ‘Black Lance’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema were more compact than plants of         ‘Black Lance’.     -   2. Plants of the new Aglaonema were more outwardly arching than         and not as upright as plants of ‘Black Lance’.     -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Black Lance’.     -   4. Plants of the new Aglaonema and ‘Black Lance’ differed in         leaf coloration.

Plants of the new Aglaonema can be compared to plants of the Aglaonema hybrida ‘White Lance’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,053. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of ‘White Lance’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema were more compact than plants of         ‘White Lance’.     -   2. Plants of the new Aglaonema had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘White Lance’.     -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema and ‘White Lance’ differed in         leaf coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Aglaonema. This photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Aglaonema. The photograph is a top perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Lilliput’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in Miami, Fla. during the summer in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse. Plants were grown under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Aglaonema shadehouse production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 27° C. to 37° C., night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 26° C. and light levels averaged 1,500 foot-candles. Plants had been growing for 15 months when the photograph and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Aglaonema hybrida ‘Lilliput’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Aglaonema commutatum var.             picturatum ‘Silver Ribbons’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.             No. 12,985.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Aglaonema             philippinense var. stenophyllum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 21 to 28 days at             25° C. to 32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 30 to 40 days at             12° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 to 35             days at 25° C to 32° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant roots, winter.—About 45             to 60 days at 12° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, medium in thickness; off-white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense and profuse. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and outwardly arching plant             habit; freely clumping habit; short intemodes; full and             dense habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; suitable for             15-cm containers. Developing leaves initially upright, then             arching outwardly with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About 24             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 47 cm.         -   Stem description.—Clumping habit: Plants of the new             Aglaonema are freely clumping with about ten clumps             developing per plant. Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength:             Strong; somewhat flexible. Length, soil level to junction to             two youngest leaves: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm.             Internode length: About 5 mm. Color: Close to 144A.             Cataphylls: Not observed. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate/whorled; simple.         -   Length.—About 18.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate; recurved.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire; slightly undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Ground color, more             green than 146A; random markings, close to 148A, 148B and             148C; margins, more green than 146A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 146A to 146B. Fully expanded leaves,             upper surface: Ground color, between 139A and N137A; random             markings, close to 189A, 191A to 191B and 194A to 194B;             margins, between 139A and N137A; venation, similar to             surface coloration.

Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A to 146B; underlain markings, close to 147B to 147C; venation, similar to surface coloration.

-   -   -   Petiole.—Aspect: Mostly erect, outwardly arching with             development. Length: About 10 cm. Diameter, distal: About             3 mm. Diameter, proximal, flattened: About 1.2 cm. Strength:             Strong; flexible. Color, distal: Close to 147A. Color,             proximal: Close to 147B to 147C; random flecking, close to             157A to 157C; area adjacent to stem, close to 157A to 157C.             Wing length: About 7.5 cm. Wing diameter, base: About 2 cm.             Wing color, inner and outer surfaces: 147A to 147C; area             adjacent to stem, close to 157A to 157C.

-   Inflorescence description: Inflorescence development has not been     observed on plants of the new Aglaonema.

-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Aglaonema have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Aglaonema.

-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Aglaonema have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to     about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Aglaonema plant named ‘Lilliput’ as illustrated and described. 